Ballet Dancer With Arms Crossed c. 1872

Edgar Degas' "Ballet Dancer With Arms Crossed" (c. 1872) is a captivating pastel on paper, typical of his fascination with dancers and the ballet world. The work captures a ballerina in repose, her arms folded across her chest, against a backdrop of a vibrant red curtain. Degas' loose and expressive brushstrokes, characteristic of Impressionism, evoke a sense of movement and fleeting beauty, inviting the viewer to glimpse the hidden lives and emotions of those who grace the stage. The unfinished quality of the painting, with its areas of blurred and hazy detail, adds to its captivating atmosphere.